Never Again! If you're disabled, FORGET GETTING ANY HELP

Did I see the word "politeness" in one of the blogs?? Are you kidding me? By 9 pm every night, everyone was so F'd up that people were shoving, pushing and blasting their way thru the crowd, knocking over anyone in their path. And litter? Holy shit! Does anyone care about throwing out their garbage? There were so many water bottles on the ground you could break an ankle at every step. People were just plain rude. And stoned. And drunk.

Now, the disabled part: I have to walk with a cane. I did not have an ADA bracelet and was not able to get one (what's that about?). So, I needed a ride back to the buses at the end of the night. For whatever reason, the crowd control made everyone walk about a mile, all around the grounds, to get to the buses. This made no sense to anyone because there was a direct route, but we weren't allowed to use it. Anyway, I needed a ride on one of the golf carts because I can't walk that far. So I went to the ADA booth (and why the hell was it so freaking FAR from the entrance? Yeah, thanks a lot for that) and asked how to go about arranging that. No prob they told me. Go to a security guard and they will radio us and a cart will be there in a minute to drive you to the bus. Well, no. That did not happen. I spoke to a guard, then another and another until I had been passed off to 10 of these idiots. Finally when the idiots were not looking, I went beyond the barricade to a woman who looked official. She turned out to be a supervisor and she got me a ride. That was only one night. The other two nights I had no such luck. Everything they told me to do, did not work. They lied thru their teeth and passed me off from one idiot to the other. I had to walk. No one helped me. I am still recovering from that.

So thanks a lot ADA for doing absolutely nothing, and screw you Coachella for your DISCRIMINATION AGAINST THE DISABLED. I ought to sue you for that. There are laws to protect the disabled. You did a miserable job.

Re: Never Again! If you're disabled, FORGET GETTING ANY HELP

I think Coachella does pretty well in providing ADA services. Golf carts are limited and do take an age to ferry people about at night. Trash accumulates at festival sites at night because the crowds begin to converge around the Main Stage. It is hard for clean up crews to make a difference, trash cans fill up as fast as they can empty them.

Having been to a lot of festivals in the world, Coachella is probably one of the best to attend for ADA attendee's.

But to the OP, I think it would help if you are constructive with criticisms. Contact the festival, but offer ideas and suggestions rather than just ripping them. They can only make things better if you bring it up to them and engage them in dialogue.

Re: Never Again! If you're disabled, FORGET GETTING ANY HELP

I generally hear good things about how Goldenvoice handles disabled attendees at Coachella. It sucks that your experience didn't mimmick that.

On the trash concern, I agree with tigermilkboy. In fact, I think they did a pretty good job this year clearing trash during the festival. The fields were relatively devoid of trash in comparison to the previous two years. Or maybe the wind just blew all the trash off the festival grounds and into nearby communities, thus giving the locals another issue to complain about. Either way, it didn't look as littered with bottles and other trash like in 2010 or 2011.

Last edited by GuyInTucson; 05-01-2012 at 11:55 AM.

Originally Posted by guedita

And to be fair to fikus, violent strangulation is one of his better qualities.

Originally Posted by malcolmjamalawesome

Being dead is literally the only way anyone on the planet could give less of a shit about you. You look like Farrah Fawcett's melted corpse.

Re: Never Again! If you're disabled, FORGET GETTING ANY HELP

As to litter and 9pm drunkenness, I experienced very little of the sort given I was attending a 3 day music festival with almost 100,000 other people. I thought this thing was run incredibly well. I have severe arthritis and a bum knee so I expect things to be a little painful and difficult but the spirit of the crowd, artists, and staff got me through and then some.

I am sorry you had such a bad experience OP, but perhaps you could reflect on how much your own attitude did and does contribute to your experience?

Re: Never Again! If you're disabled, FORGET GETTING ANY HELP

this seems to me like one of those one-off complaint posts where the OP bails after shooting their gripe wad but i'll bite.

i'm interested what the problem was in obtaining the ADA wristband as my experience (along with that of my companion) was flawless. we were told there was a phone number to call to obtain magical cart rides but my phone was typically too dead/i was too lazy to take advantage. any and all official-types i encountered along the journey to/from lot 7 gave blank stares/different answers regarding the availability of said rides so i gave up. do i hope communication is improved by next year when i'll be even more broken? yes, but until then the answer is "bicycle"

i hope you enjoyed SOMETHING but i doubt it.

also, the *only* issue i had on the grounds themselves was fielding people's children sitting in the dark before radiohead ^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Re: Never Again! If you're disabled, FORGET GETTING ANY HELP

So I had a torn achilles and honestly when this injury happened I thought it would be the worse coachella I would attend. However this was hands down my favorite coachella. I did find a brace that allowed me to walk with a peg leg with my knee bent back. I was able to get the ada bracelet but chose to try and do the crowds and I had no issues. I was obviously bumbed a few times however I usually had a friend behind me and also wrapped glowstick around my cast night so I was more visible. I also was offered rides every time I left the festival or was in the campsite. I think if you were having that much trouble you should of got the ADA bracelet and sat. because overall the crowd was amazing as was staff. Also if any one was refused I was the guy in the pit for the first song without a leg.... that however probably not the best decision.

Re: Never Again! If you're disabled, FORGET GETTING ANY HELP

I should add I have attended a few festivals as an ADA attendee (crutches after heel op) and also gone with a buddy who is wheelchair bound.

Whenever a festival gets dark, it is harder to get about. The mass of people means it is difficult to see someone who is ADA. It isn't the crowd are assholes, just the crowd is so dense that people are really just focusing a few feet ahead.
When I was on crutches, I found you pretty much stay at one stage for as long as possible to avoid moving through crowds. Also, that you either leave early-in which case is still difficult because you are constantly moving through crowds or you wait till the crowds disperse. There isn't much else can be done. You just have to have a lot of patience.

The ADA tent would be my first call the moment I arrived at the festival. Finding out how to get assistance before I needed it is always best.

Re: Never Again! If you're disabled, FORGET GETTING ANY HELP

I'm sure if you sat down in an area they were closing off (assuming you're talking about leaving when the festival is over for the day) - and trudged along, you would have gotten someone to radio in some transpo for your

Think of a cat being walked on a leash. It can do it, but it will be miserable as fuck while doing so. Put that vibe out next time.

Re: Never Again! If you're disabled, FORGET GETTING ANY HELP

Sorry you won't be back. If it's any consolation, Im sure a number of people would have been happy to give you a piggy back ride back to the shuttles if you just asked and didn't look like you wanted to sue them or hit them with a cane. Coachella folk are really that generous.

Re: Never Again! If you're disabled, FORGET GETTING ANY HELP

Originally Posted by gillster17

So I had a torn achilles and honestly when this injury happened I thought it would be the worse coachella I would attend. However this was hands down my favorite coachella. I did find a brace that allowed me to walk with a peg leg with my knee bent back. I was able to get the ada bracelet but chose to try and do the crowds and I had no issues. I was obviously bumbed a few times however I usually had a friend behind me and also wrapped glowstick around my cast night so I was more visible. I also was offered rides every time I left the festival or was in the campsite. I think if you were having that much trouble you should of got the ADA bracelet and sat. because overall the crowd was amazing as was staff. Also if any one was refused I was the guy in the pit for the first song without a leg.... that however probably not the best decision.

Ha, I think we saw you walking around on Sunday. My wife said, "He must have really good insurance."

Unless there were two of you out there with a similar set-up.

Originally Posted by Larry Farnsworth

"I assume you guys aren't familiar with all of the shit on this lineup but if you listened to shit radio stations you would be."

Re: Never Again! If you're disabled, FORGET GETTING ANY HELP

Originally Posted by PlayaDelWes

ORLY
Unless you were a crow, the path to the shuttles for everyone else was pretty darn direct.

I think she was talking about the big loop they make you walk to get to the shuttles. I don't like it either, I wish they would build a temporary pedestrian bridge or at the very least offer pedi-cabs. I sent a polite email to ValleyMusicTravel about it, hopefully more people will too.

Re: Never Again! If you're disabled, FORGET GETTING ANY HELP

Originally Posted by PlayaDelWes

ORLY
Unless you were a crow, the path to the shuttles for everyone else was pretty darn direct.

Many of the people working the festival didn't know shit about where anything was or where to direct people. I rode a bicycle into the festival, and was unnecessarily routed against what the map said a few times. It's entirely possible that the same thing happened to the OP. Goldenvoice needs to do a much better job with bicyclists and pedestrians. Making people bike through sand, and routing people different ways all weekend, shows that they're putting little effort into providing access for people without vehicles.

Originally Posted by RandyInHeaven

Devin - how does it feel to know that there are still more women in the world that would fuck me at this very moment than would fuck you?

Re: Never Again! If you're disabled, FORGET GETTING ANY HELP

Can a girl on her period get an ADA bracelet at a festival?

"How long will this last, this delicious feeling of being alive, of having penetrated the veil which hides beauty and the wonders of celestial vistas? It doesn't matter, as there can be nothing but gratitude for even a glimpse of what exists for those who can become open to it."